Tag: story foundations

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Guest Posts

How to Write a Great Story in 5 Steps

Guest posts

People have always had a natural talent for telling stories. It is an essential means of communication and understanding the world, from old stories to contemporary discourse. Everyone has a tale to tell, and putting pen to paper can help you become a better writer and communicator. But what makes a good storyteller? Here are five easy ways to improve your story writing skills.

What is a Story?

At its essence, a story is a connected sequence of events. However, a well-rounded story contains these five essential elements:

  1. Setting: Where and when the story takes place.
  2. Plot: The sequence of events in the narrative.
  3. Conflict: The problem or challenge faced by the characters.
  4. Characters: The people or beings involved in the story.
  5. Theme: The underlying message or lesson conveyed.

Famous Examples of Storytelling

Consider Hemingway’s famous six-word story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Despite its brevity, it prompts the reader to infer the deeper elements such as setting, characters, conflict, and theme.

Another example is “Cosmic Report Card: Earth.” This short story gives a brief yet impactful evaluation of humanity’s existence. The power of storytelling lies in its ability to provoke thought, even with minimal words.

Similarly, “ThingsFromMars.com: A Portal to the Weird and Wonderful” captures the curiosity and imagination of visitors through its creative narrative. The story behind the brand compels readers to explore a world of quirky and unexpected gifts, making it both engaging and memorable.

Types of Stories

According to author Christopher Booker, there are seven basic types of stories:

  • Overcoming the Monster
  • Rags to Riches
  • The Quest
  • Voyage and Return
  • Rebirth
  • Comedy
  • Tragedy

Each type follows its narrative arc, but all share core storytelling elements.

Steps to Write a Great Story

1. Find Inspiration

Every great story begins with an idea. Inspiration can come from anywhere—your own experiences, current events, or even a “what if?” scenario. Keep a notebook to jot down ideas as they come to you.

2. Brainstorm

Once you have an idea, start brainstorming. Think of plot ideas, character traits, and possible conflicts. This is where you explore the potential directions your story can take. The more you brainstorm, the clearer your vision becomes.

3. Outline Your Story

Outlining is key to structuring your story. Include the main events in the plot, key character developments, and any essential details. A good outline helps keep your story focused and ensures you cover all necessary elements.

4. Write the First Draft

Now it’s time to write. Don’t worry about perfecting it—just write the story down on paper. Avoid editing as you go. The first draft is all about letting your ideas flow naturally.

5. Revise and Edit

Once your first draft is complete, take a step back. Seek feedback from others, and revise your story based on their input. Afterward, edit for grammar, spelling, and punctuation to ensure your writing is polished and error-free.

Examples of Timeless Stories

Some stories have withstood the test of time. Consider:

  • The Tortoise and the Hare: A fable that teaches the value of perseverance over speed.
  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: A tale exploring the conflict between humanity and nature, filled with timeless themes of life, death, and morality.

Conclusion

By understanding the elements of storytelling and following a structured writing process, you can write a great story. Whether you’re writing a novel or flash fiction, remember that every story starts with a single idea. Embrace your creativity, and let your unique voice shine through your storytelling.

Story Writing FAQs

What is a story? 

A story is a connected series of events with key elements like setting, characters, conflict, and theme.

How do stories work? 

Stories communicate messages through characters who face conflicts, ultimately leading to resolution or transformation.

What are the different types of stories? 

Stories can fall into categories such as overcoming the monster, rags to riches, the quest, voyage and return, rebirth, comedy, or tragedy.

Evelyn Johnson is a creative writer and entrepreneur with over 7 years of experience in the writing industry. As the founder of thingsfrommars.com, she combines creativity and business savvy to craft unique content that captivates audiences. Evelyn specializes in storytelling, corporate writing, and product marketing, sharing her expertise through industry insights. Connect with Evelyn on LinkedIn.

Categories
Talking Character

Building Characters: Start with What You Know

If you’ve ever been involved in building a house or a major remodeling project, you understand how overwhelming it can be to make all the decisions the builder demands. Creating a character from scratch can feel just as daunting. Temperament, hair color, weaknesses, fears, favorite ice cream, childhood pets, past relationships, education…

How do you know which answers are right? Where do you start?

Start with what you know.

However formed or fuzzy the character is, you know something about her. So begin by writing down everything you know.

What do you know about…

  1. The part she plays in the story? Is she the heroine? The sidekick? The bratty kid who always gets to be first? Define the part she will play as much as you can.
  2. The attributes she will need to be good at the part? A sleuth needs to be inquisitive, clever, and willing to risk danger in order to track down clues. A military officer needs courage, stamina, and a sense of duty. What are the key attributes your character needs to be believable in the role?
  3. The skills, knowledge, hobbies or experiences she will need to draw on? Does the plot involve swordplay? Ballet? Horseback riding? A narrow escape through storm drains? Pretending to be a professional chef? List all the bits and pieces of story ideas and consider what the character will need to get through the challenges.
  4. The backstory facts you already know she’ll need? Jot them down and then do some free writing to see what other gems you may uncover as you build a life story around those facts.
  5. What physical attributes and demographic info make sense? Based on what you’ve written down so far, and what your gut tells you, list the details that seem obvious or fit your mental image of the character. If you have no idea what color her eyes are, skip that detail for now and focus on whichever details you do know.
  6. Random trivia. Sometimes a character inspiration comes out of some quirky combination of colorful tidbits. The girl at the coffee shop who always wears purple and owns a pet boa constrictor, for example. Jot down any miscellaneous information you have about the character. Who knows where it might lead.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly—don’t be afraid to change things.

Writing down what you know is only the beginning of the process. As you become better acquainted with your characters you will reevaluate and refine the details. Give yourself permission to make intentional changes.

Consider this the foundation from which the real character will grow and mature.

Happy character-building.

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Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a story to tell the world. She loves to encourage fellow writers to be intentional about their craft and courageous in sharing their words with others. Lisa shares her words through dramas, Bible studies, historical mysteries, and her blog about intentional living. You can find her on Facebook  LisaEBetzWriter and Twitter @LisaEBetz

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Myths Behind Your Fantasy Work

Fantasy stories come in all shapes and sizes, from modern-day tales to historical adventure. One way to give your story character is to reuse a classic myth or legend. Myths, legends, fairytales and folklore are often recognizable tales that can help connect a reader to the story from the first page. By using an established story with a new twist, the reader will have discovered a brand new treasure.

The first step to using a myth or legend as the basis for your story is to decide if the tale will be a retelling of the classic story or if elements of it will weave throughout your story to give a certain “feel” to the overall narrative. Regardless which way you choose to tell the story, any tale will need to be embellished, since no myth or legend was created as a full-length novel. Use the tale as a springboard and allow your creative side to fill in the details that are missing to make your story complete.

An example of a retelling of classic fairy tales are the middle-grade novels by Liesl Shurtliff. In her books, Red, Jack, and Rump, the classic stories of favorite children’s fairy tales are retold with a more developed plot, often including characters from other stories, as well, but the basic stories are the actual fairy tales themselves.

Rick Riordan has inspired the young adult fantasy industry beginning with his Percy Jackson series by taking a myth and altering it to create a brand new story. His stories are modern day tales involving twenty-first century kids, with a basis in ancient Greek mythology. While the setting and world are quite different from those ancient myths, the rules and original characters retain their properties.

Some stories originate from a specific culture but have been changed from one society to the next. Take your time to investigate all the twists and turns the original story has taken through the shift between cultures. These differences may help shape your story to be a different retelling than any that have come before.

Know the myth or legend and the characters that make it up, inside and out. The more you know the myth, the more you will understand which elements can be changed and which should remain the same. However, be sure not to take too many liberties with the story. Allow the themes and moral dilemmas to remain the same, as the reader will notice if you make too drastic a change from a favorite tale.

From here, the story is yours. Once you have the myth or legend to base your story upon, you’ve done your research, and you know what changes to make to create a brand new story for the reader, then you’re ready to get writing. Remember, the story doesn’t need to be a mirror image of the previous myth or legend, but it does need to retain the basic themes, motivations and characters to uphold the integrity of the original tale.

Using a previously established tale can open a world of possibilities for new stories. Myths and legends can provide a fantastic canvas to paint your next novel. The only question left to ask yourself is, which myth will you choose to use first?

Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mama to three daughters and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her on Twitter @lauralzimm, Instagram @lauralzimmauthor, on Facebook and at her website Caffeinated Fiction.